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Found Poetry – journey through the south west

and, perhaps inevitably in South West Scotland, I encountered the magnificent work of Andy Goldsworthy.

A long walk along snow covered forestry tracks, frozen burns hiding in the shadows, took me to one of the red sandstone arches (each comprising 31 blocks totaling 27 tons) constructed on three inter-visible upland locations. The Striding Arches website is a great resource where you can get further information but I would recommend, if at all possible, you take the time to visit as they only make sense experiencing them in there landscape.

Before I visited I had not appreciated that Goldsworthy’s work blends with the work of two other artists within the Cairnhead Community Forest. Along the Dalwhat Water riverside are, The Hill of Streams letterboxes by Alec Finlay : also complemented by audio-files of the varying sounds of the different confluences. While the artwork at the Bothy, also comprises some beautiful detailed stone carving by Pip Hall that presences the earlier names of the settlement and some of those who once dwelt there.

Inside the Bothy I was intrigued to discover a dirty acetate sheet with a concrete poem printed on it.

6 thoughts on “Found Poetry – journey through the south west”

Great photos! I went on this circular walk around the arches two years ago – 20th April 2011: baking hot sunshine and everywhere as ‘dry as dust’! Not far to the north is one of the more fascinating ‘Covenanter’ memorials (Allan’s Cairn), now sited (incongruously) in the middle of a large forestry plantation. Oddly caged behind iron bars, the monument is made of similar coloured stone to the Goldworthy sculptures, and brings some nice historical depth to the ‘landscape experience’. Also running through the area is the Southern Upland Way, connected to which was the “Waymerks” arts project, which ran from about 2002. I say ‘was’ – since I think it is finished now in terms of minting new ‘coins’, but I guess (hope!) that many of the’kist’/’treasure trove’ installations are still there, celebrating a series of artists’ work along the entire route.

Hi David. Thanks for your comments, glad you like the photos. Sounds like you had a very different experience from my wintery wander. I will try find the monument you mention next time I go there. Yes the Waymerks project is fantastic, check out an earlier post of mine about them. Thanks G